Tag Archives: strength

I’ve decided to change how I feel about this blog. Initially I meant it to be a record of my travels. I had it in my mind how the bones of it were going to be. But those bones didn’t fit with the rest of me. Some travels were meant left to my own memory. While other times I’m so busy with life that I didn’t travel and then what? Would there just be radio silence?

So this is going to be me. I travel, I live, I’m learning to be the best person I can. Life has so many ups and downs plus sideways roads to travel. I make mistakes and sometimes I make good choices but I’m always learning so that’s what matters.

My newest endeavor is going back to school. I thought I’d go back to school for nursing. Nurses always have jobs right? But I was looking at it all wrong. You need to enjoy what you’re going to do the majority of the time not just do it for a paycheck. And then I got sober and discovered mountains. And then Trump got elected and I sit on the edge of my seat hoping that not all the wild places I love will be taken away from me. So after my first semester back at school and some soul searching I decided to change my major to forestry fostering on wild land soils and wildlife. I feel so good about this change. And as a bonus I live by one the college that has one of the best forestry programs into country.

So I’m moving forward. I don’t know how this is going to go but I know I’m going to try my hardest and enjoy the ride

It’s been a while since I posted here. It’s not because I’ve forgotten. I’ve composed half finished entries in my mind over the last month or two. I”m not even sure how complete this one will be. The rattling on and on of a mind at work that is trying to also rest.

What I don’t think I’ve said in previous entries is that I work for Burning Man. And by saying that I don’t mean that I go out and volunteer for the event for just the week. I mean that I work for the DPW. More specifically for HEaT (heavy equipment and transpo) within the DPW. I drive heavy machinery for Burning Man. I’ve done so for years. Every year I spend 6 weeks in the desert building and tearing down was of the most wild and quirky festivals on earth.

This year was no exception. I was out there in the dust for a long time. I laughed and cried. Overcame many obstacles. Made new friends, strengthened old friendships and let some people go. I lost a friend to death as well. And above all I learned, again how mortal I was.

I could say so much but then it might be too much. I find that sometimes the simple ways are best. If we hold onto something too tight it just falls apart.

I’ve been abstaining from alcohol. My goal is one year. Maybe more but definitely one year. I made it through all of DPW without one drop of booze touching my lips. The hardest 6 weeks I can remember enduring. My friend, Spoono, died in his sleep in his trailer pre event. I still can’t even come to terms with those feelings yet. And the endless play of human dynamics. It’s a small town out there. And dealing with emotions in the desert is always so much harder than ‘real life’. But I survived, a little battle worn but I did it. Time for me to get lost in the woods for a bit. And then finally get back to mountains and climbing them.

Pictures are a thousand words so here are some of mine

Sunset is always incredible

Being a machine operator is dusty work in a whiteout

Spoono’s art car at sunrise after early man. I will miss seeing him riding around on playa

Hanging out in front of HEaT on a busted up old car like classy ladies do

Scrubbing Bubbles art car rides off toward the Calico Mountains

That one time when I was famous at Burning Man. Cocking the counter weight to the trebuchet

Man burn night with Tom and Spencer. With those two I always feel vertically challenged